Obituary of Reverend James E. Allen

Funeral services for Reverend James E. Allen, age 91, of Bastrop, LA are scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at First Assembly of God with Rev. H. Maurice Lednicky, Rev. S. Michael Cheshier, and Rev. James Michael Cheshier officiating. Interment will follow in Christ Church Cemetery. Visitation will be held Sunday from 6-8 p.m. at Golden Funeral Home and Monday from 5-9 p.m. at First Assembly of God. Rev. Allen went into the presence of the Lord on Friday, October 10, 2008, with his loving family at his bedside. During almost 75 years in the ministry, he served as the pastor of Assemblies of God Churches in Wesson, AR, Hodge, LA, Bastrop, LA, for more than 25 years, and Sulpher, LA. He received his ministerial training from Southwestern Bible Institute (now Southwestern Assemblies of God University) where he was valedictorian and chosen by the faculty to deliver the Commencement address for his graduating class. After traveling as an Evangelist, he served as the first State Youth/Christian Education Director for the Assemblies of God in Louisiana. Rev. Allen left the pastorate in Bastrop in 1973 after having been elected as an executive officer of the Assemblies of God, serving as the State Secretary Treasurer/Home Missions Director for 10 years. Under his leadership numerous new churches were established across Louisiana. After returning to Bastrop, the City of Bastrop honored him by declaring "Rev. J.E. Allen Day" and presented him with a key to the city on November 19, 2000. Even in his later years, he continued to minister all across Louisiana and in Arkansas, and was a favorite speaker for meetings of Seniors. At the time of his death he was serving as Associate Pastor at Pioneer Assembly of God. Rev. Allen will be remembered as an energetic visionary who genuinely loved the ministry and the people he served. He is preceded in death by wife of nearly 50 years, Juanita Allen and granddaughter, Mischelle Lednicky. He is survived by his wife of eight months, Rev. Annie Farmer Allen; two daughters, Marcia Lednicky & husband Maurice of Bangkok, Thailand and Marigold Cheshier & husband Michael of Springfield, MO and Kenya, Africa; grandchildren, Melissa White & husband Adam of Springfield, MO and James Michael "Mikey" Cheshier and wife Shereen of Springfield, MO; great grandchildren, Michael White, Maurice White, Serenity Grace Cheshier; step-children, Patricia Lisenby & husband Conley of Dunn and Arthur Ray Farmer & wife Karen of Rayville; 12 step-grandchildren; and 13 step-great grandchildren. Serving as pallbearers will be Bobby Goodwin, Ray Janway, Johnny Lee Moreland, Kenneth Knight, Michael White, Maurice White, Adam White, and Tommy Janway.